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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25795348">Gold Rush</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/womanfromblackwater/pseuds/womanfromblackwater'>womanfromblackwater</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, F/M, yeehawgust</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 11:49:07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>537</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25795348</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/womanfromblackwater/pseuds/womanfromblackwater</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The Marstons try to make their fortune in the Klondike</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Abigail Roberts Marston/John Marston</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Gold Rush</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Mama, I’m cold.”</p>
<p>“I know, darlin’. Scoot up here, closer to the fire.”</p>
<p>Abigail moved her own chair to the side, making room for Jack to huddle beside the fireplace. It was colder than either of them had imagined a place could be, and even wearing coats and wrapped in blankets their cabin felt frigid. She could only imagine how cold John must be, still out looking for work.</p>
<p>He’d spent the trip to Canada telling them stories of prospectors who had struck it big in the Klondike, and his enthusiasm had been enough to get his wife and son excited about the prospect of their new life. John had even read a book about building a business around a newly discovered mine. He never got to use what he had learned from it. </p>
<p>The first sign that something was not right was how easily they had found a house. There were an astounding number of vacant houses for them to choose from, at prices that indicated that nobody really wanted them anymore. Every shopkeeper mentioned large numbers of people leaving Dawson City, and the small school had been closed after it’s few pupils had moved away. </p>
<p>It had barely been a week before it became clear that there was no chance of prospering here. Everybody seemed to agree that gold there had been was gone, and without the gold there was little reason to stay. Closing shops meant less opportunities for work, and now it had been a month and John was still unemployed. </p>
<p>Abigail was pulled from her thoughts by the sound of the front door opening and closing as John entered. Jack ran to his father for a hug, ignoring the cold that clung to John’s coat as he was scooped up and swung around. John’s guilt for getting them into this situation had him showering his son with affection at every chance he had, praying that the boy could forgive him. </p>
<p>Hunger, cold, and boredom sent the whole family to bed early. Jack had his own room, but didn’t like being apart from his parents and had dragged his mattress to the floor of their bedroom. Not wanting to make a bad situation worse, they had let him stay there. He was sound asleep, wearing his coat and mittens with a blanket pulled over his head. </p>
<p>John was trying to will the pang of hunger in his stomach away when he heard Abigail’s breath hitch beside him. </p>
<p>“Abi? You okay, darlin’?”</p>
<p>She didn’t turn to look at him, a sure sign that she was not okay. John wrapped an arm around her, pulling her closer. His heart broke as her sniffles turned into full-blown sobs, and she twisted to bury her face in his chest. </p>
<p>“I know, sweetheart, I know.” He gently rocked them back and forth as she cried. “We’ll pack up tomorrow. We’re gonna go home.”</p>
<p>“We ain’t got a home.”</p>
<p>“Well, we’ll find one. Gotta be somewhere, and it sure as hell ain’t here.”</p>
<p>John didn’t think he’d ever meant something more in his life. He had a family now, his own family, and he would make sure they had a home if it was the last thing he did.</p>
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